Melissa Leo creates personal ad campaign

What would you do for an Oscar?

Melissa Leo, who is in contention for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Fighter, is prepared to do just about anything.

The actress created immense controversy last week when she released several advertisements in major publications without the knowledge of the distributors who released the film. The advertisements feature her in a black sequin dress and simply read, “Consider…” This marks the first time an actor has taken out an advertisement for awards season for themselves.

“I took matters into my own hands. I knew what I was doing and told my representation how earnest I was about this idea. I had never heard of any actor taking out an ad as themselves and I wanted to give it a shot” Leo said.

The controversial move raises concerns about whether her actions will backfire and ultimately affect voter’s decisions, who have until Feb. 22 to cast their ballots. If so, it can potentially open doors and sway voters to chose 14-year-old Hailee Steinfeld, who is nominated for her performance in True Grit.

“This entire awards process to some degree is about pimping yourself out. I’m confident my fans will understand the ads were about showing a different side of myself,” Leo said.

Leo has come out a winner at nearly every major award show this season, including the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Critics Choice Awards.

The only thing that’s left for her to win is the coveted Oscar.

In 2009, she was nominated for her performance in Frozen River. This year, she’s making sure she can go the distance.